Beginning a quest is always challenging because one is filled with doubts, concerns, worries and fear of failure. Perhaps, that explains why many of us have never got any of our grandiose plans even started. It also explains why the vast majority continue to walk down the ‘oft trod path’; lamenting or ruing their destiny. Each of us is given the freedom to explore options but we are often tethered by our dogmas and beliefs, our prejudices and our fears, our self limiting thinking and our inaction. As a result we continue to walk the beaten path lamenting our fate without daring to indulge in a latent passion or pursue a deep desire. The net result is that we just do not start; the dreams we have remain just pipe dreams; the future remains predictable and largely futile as compared to our hopes, aspirations and ambitions.

If you are someone with a burning desire to explore opportunities beyond the mundane and predictable, the starting point must be planning. The planning process begins with the setting up of a goal/ objective. This is then fleshed out in the form of details being added, so as to ensure as many variables as possible are identified and a plan to manage it, spelled out. It is important to bear in mind that no plan is fool proof and that a start date must be identified so that the plan is put into action. The way forward is in starting the implementation of your plan.

It is possible that a plan set in motion would face challenges. Despite the best of preparations, unforeseen and unpredictable hurdles could derail the plans. Many of these hurdles are self inflicted and often the result of tardy planning or self doubt or overconfidence. You may falter, you may have setbacks, you could begin to doubt yourself along the way but the goal must be to keep going. Of course there could come a time when either because you are prudent or because circumstances are beyond your control, that you will be forced to stop and give up. Take this setback in your stride. Having begun with confidence and hope is in itself a victory over your inhibitions and a testimony to your determination.

You will, if you move ahead as per plans, make progress. This will embolden you and be a great motivator to push ahead even if you progress is slow and even if the goal seems distant. Eventually you may reach the goal but perhaps not as planned and there could be a feeling of dejection. Yet, it is in reaching the goal, finishing the race and stretching your limits, that you realize how strong a person you are. If you did not start or if you gave up midway, you will never experience the thrill of realizing your potential, knowing your strengths and stretching yourself to attain new limits.

Your victory is in getting over your doubts, your inertia, yourself limiting beliefs and instead becoming proactive, resolute and focused on bringing about a change in your mind, body and spirit.

Start now, push ahead and realize your dreams.

Try these

If you had just a week to live, how would you prioritize your life so that you have no regrets on the last day?

What steps can you take immediately, to do the following:

Raise a significant sum of money for a charity of your choice

Give a suggestion to your local corporator / MP / Union minister in connection with an idea you have to improve the current services

One of the problems many of us have is our inability to really identify something positive to focus upon. This is partly because our minds tend to stray towards what troubles us, our problems real and imagined and varied anxieties that we have made ‘much ado about nothing’. The problem becomes more acute at the start of the year for most of our plans/ resolutions tend to center around unfinished business, challenges to be met and overcoming our limitations. The grid above, however, has ample positives that stare at us and it would help if we focus on the first 3-5 positive words noticed and for the rest of the year align our goals to meet the goals those words beckon.

Honestly I would have loved to list out some of the words above, but then it would take away the fun for you. Instead, my friends, I am using my power of identification to share my experience of using my time to focus on some goals that have helped me gain friends, popularity and happiness. While money is important, it is the fun of influencing lives that really drives me. The beauty of this is that, I can with all honesty confess, that I have a large circle of young friends and interacting with them makes me feel young at heart. By the way, you also need to use your time not just for yourself but also for others. Keeping busy would also ensure good health in mind and body. If you look carefully there is something positive in every line except for one word. It is not for me to identify it but yes if you have the lust for life, even that word would be positive although most times we use it in a negative context.

Have fun decoding the above and more importantly use those words to make this year a wonderful and productive year for you and all those whose lives you influence.

Try these:

The grid gives you enough to focus on. Break time for both you and me. Actually, it is break time for me just for this post; you have ample scope to keep busy for the rest of the year.

Taking the easy way out, is what most of us do when faced with a choice. Yet, our mettle is tested and out abilities judged by how we stood up to be counted when the chips are down. Volunteering in class, for example, is always a tough proposition because there is a very high probability of failing in the assigned task. Yet, notice that the ones who usually volunteer to answer questions, take on a challenge are often the more brilliant ones or the real daring ones and occasionally an average joe who possibly has a more incisive motive. The rest of us do end up having a hearty laugh or a feeling of awe at the outcome of such daring. What we do not gain though, is the learning from the first hand experience, the opportunity to give ourselves a chance to try something different and display our inner strength no matter what the outcome.

Commitment is an essential trait of all successful people. As they say ‘when the going goes tough the tough get going’. Sharing messages on social media, trolling people, liking and disliking matter posted by others are simple and passive action. The challenge is to put into practice the exhortations in the messages. This means taking the initiative, being prepared to get bruised, being ready to learn from mistakes and giving all one has got. Success is not guaranteed but learning sure is. While failure could be a real possibility it is in the participation and scrimmage that one gains experience.

Daring is another trait of trailblazers. ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained’ is another old adage. There is always risk in attempting something new. However, if one has prepared well, you increase the chances of success. Yet, one can never know how much one has learned unless one dares and ventures to attempt and find out. Daring improves your self confidence, expands your own daring zone and most of all gives you bragging rights to say I tried it. While people would often only recall the winners, you would always remember every attempt you made. You will never forget the lessons you learned, the success you enjoyed along the way and can proudly flaunt the bruises from the attempts to prove that you participated and didn’t stand on the sidelines to clap for others.

Try these:

Make a list of all the things you wanted to do in your life. Make it exhaustive and vivid. Remember that when visualizing, imagining and dreaming you just let your mind soar, your passion come alive and there are no constraints at all. Now identify 3- 5 of the most passionate dreams you have listed and work out a plan to attain them within a time frame set by you.

In this week you are to do the following:

Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper about some social issue that you are passionate about.

Make an attempt to overcome some fear you have e.g. holding a snake / donating blood because you fear the prick of a needle / learning a new sport

Proactively bring about a positive change in your behavior that others notice and appreciate.

Buy 2 surprise gifts and give it to some random person who is least expecting it.

Perhaps the only time in life one has to look backwards in order to proceed forward, is when one needs to appreciate the progress made and then resolve to better it. Nothing amplifies this better than our constant need to evaluate the progress made by regular exercise and diet, be it to reduce weight or to tone one’s body. Alas in our anxiety to get quick results we expect miracles and we fail to notice the small but significant changes that are milestones towards our goal. If the overwhelming majority of people give up their exercise routine it is not because of their inability to cope with the demands of the routine as much as it is because one fails to find the motivation to keep going.

Look closely at a toddler making its first steps. There is first a very tentative and unsteady attempt which could after a step or two end up in a fall. Yet, natures mysterious ways and the innate desire to replicate the initial success gravitates itself to spur the toddler to attempt his/ her walk again. Falling down is merely a unavoidable hazard but the freedom brought about by being able to walk is what drives the child to master it. The child also had one huge advantage; it has no concept of fear or failure or logic. These three stumbling blocks combine in varying proportion to scare, demotivate and silence adults from realizing their full potential.

The best antidote for fear, failure and illogical thoughts is rational goal setting, proactive response and reviewing progress. If we have no goals we are never sure of what we want nor do we know that we have received what we want. People who are bored, those who are listless and those who are constantly complaining are generally people who have no clue about their goals. Without goals they are like rudderless ships being tossed about in the ocean called life with no particular direction or port of destination. Proactive response is possible only if once has something to work towards. Equally importantly one has to be motivated to get that momentum to respond. Character and upbringing too have a huge bearing on how proactive a person is. Self belief and self worth would provide the fuel that enables one to zealously respond proactively and progress in life.

The ultimate driver of success though is the thrust got from a sense of achievement. To begin with this would have to be visualized; seeing one achieve the ultimate goal. When proactive response is initiated, then the vision is translated into the reality of the progress made. By reviewing the progress regularly, no matter how daunting the task, there is realization of having begun, progressed and nearing the goal. Perhaps it is this formula that has spurred legions of mountaineers to scale the Himalayas, the adventurers to attempt risky expeditions be it to the North Pole or South Pole or in the pursuit of discovering continents.

Ever wonder what motivates sailors to attempt solo round the world expeditions? The answer lies in the clarity of their goal, the proactive preparation towards achieving that goal and with every passing day they rejoice in the progress made and feel motivated that they are homing into steadily towards their ultimate goal. They are never daunted by what could happen, how much more is yet to be done nor do they ever question their own skill or ability to achieve what they set out to do.

Try this:

Choose one social service activity that you are passionate about. Outline 3-5 goals you believe you must set out to achieve by your personal involvement. Get going and track your progress. Review your initial plans but keep going without abandoning the project no matter what the impediments.

Jot down ways and means to achieve the following

Reduce your current monthly expenses by 10% or more

Increase your monthly income by 5% or more

Ensure you manage an annual savings of at least 20% of your annual income.

At the outset let me thank each one of my readers and blog followers for having supported this blog and crossing 1,00,000views. A special word of thanks to the 661 followers of the blog. For those who do not know, I started this blog on 1st Jan 2010 and kept a target of writing one post a day. I did manage around 340 posts in 2010, but cut down drastically thereafter. I am just delighted that so many of you send in your feedback or write in to me with their comments. Thank you friends!

Obviously, I was keen to mark this historic moment with something special but was not getting a lucky break or a fabulous idea. However a couple of days back a close friend sent me an email containing quotes in the form of posters and immediately I knew that this was the answer to my prayers. So starting today for the next 40 odd posts I would be using the contents of these posters as the central theme. I would also try to be more brief as regards the post contents. This is in deference to the wishes of a handful of good friends whose feedback I value. Your feedback would be most appreciated.

Rule 1. – If you do not GO after what you want, you’ll never have it.

To get what you want you must know what you want.

Write down your passions, whittle it down to your goals.

Ensure you have a time frame to achieve the goals.

Have a detailed action plan with indicators to ensure that your are on track.

If you have read so far, start implementing what you have read. GO !!

Rule 2. If you do not ASK the answer will always be NO

Following Rule 1 and implementing is a good beginning to follow Rule 2.

Remember you cannot do it all on your own- so might as well ask others to help out

While you might occasionally get NO as an answer, to get that YES you must ask.

Rule 3. If you do not step forward you will always be in the same place.

Begin by having a firm point of view on issues.

Try and express yourself so that you are heard and noticed.

As you progress be more decisive and stand up to be counted.

Try this:

Have you tried a different cuisine?

Ever made friends with a foreigner ?

Ever tried fund raising for a worthy cause by seeking out sponsors?

Visit an orphanages/ home for the aged/ prison / mental hospital/ hospice

Do not wait for ideal circumstances, nor the best opportunities; they will never come. Janet Erskine Stuart

All of us have good intentions. We also get sudden spurts of wanting to change for the better. We begin each year with some firm resolutions to improve ourselves and to some extend also make valiant attempts occasionally. Most times though we don’t even get started and when we do we give up far too easily. The main reason for our inertia and starting trouble is that we wait for that good moment to come when our intentions and our inner drive are both in sync and ignite us into action. The trouble is we wait and wait for that moment but simply fail to recognize it. The problem starts when we decide to start an activity on a Monday or the 1st of a month or wait for an auspicious day. Invariably the day comes and we have some reason or the other not to start. The reason could range from the simple sheer laziness to the bizarre like had a bad dream so not good to start today.

By choice we all are apprehensive of change. This is the second reason why we are wary of attempting something new or different. Beginning anything new involves a change in the routine and that make us uncomfortable. Our mind is conditioned to follow the beaten path and so treading a new path requires effort, courage of conviction and the vision to see ahead. We therefore outline a set of near perfect and equally impossible conditions to come in harmony so that we can begin. Most times these are utopian ideals and the probability of such conditions becoming a reality near impossible. The wait continues and the possible opportunity goes by and we can only woefully lament.

Fear of commitment scares many a potential voyager / adventurer to make a non starter. Anything attempted new means a fixed new commitment. Most people are afraid of that commitment and so try to avoid or postpone making that commitment. Yet when the urge to grab opportunities overwhelms us we take tentative steps towards it. It si full commitment alone that can give fruits in the long run and tentative steps merely show us the way but we need to traverse it fully in faith and with the commitment to see it through the end. Mere good intentions and attempts to kick start are not enough but persistence and conviction if put into the venture will ensure we don’t give up till w attain our goal.

Risk of failure is the fear that is the bane of any new start. When we start with fear, we cloud our thinking, become defensive and find ways and means to postpone the start. More importantly we make futile efforts to hedge against any failure and that is a near impossibility for we live in a dynamic world. It also happens that we may visualize a good beginning but then our own fears cloud our vision of the future and then we turn risk averse. Our fears paralyze us, our lethargy corrodes our spirit of enterprise and we cling to nonexistent hope for deliverance which we couldn’t even conceive to begin with.

Remember: “The day you take complete responsibility for yourself, the day you stop making any excuses, that’s the day you start to the top.”

Try this:

If you haven’t made your New Year list begin now. If you have update it with 3 more points. Now ask what it that you could have begun but not yet started is. Ask yourself the reason for not starting. Can you begin today itself?

Do you have a dream to attain? If not, write down a dream for yourself. It could be doing something special with your abilities and talents or it could be pursuing a pet passion or it could be giving back to society. Now get cracking on that project by allocating some time each week to work on it.

When I first started writing this blog a year ago, on 1st January 2010, I had planned to write around 500 words, daily on the quote of the day. No sooner had I decided on it I was assailed by self doubts. Would I be able to stand up to the rigors of the target I had set for myself? Was I competent to propound on topics / quotes that could stump me? Would I be motivated sufficiently to write consistently and maintain quality? Who would read the blogs? The questions were coming in torrents and with each question I started questioning my own wisdom of setting myself an ambitious target. Fortunately for me, the rational side of my brain was overwhelmingly urging me on to start the blog and then experience the pain and pleasure of the venture before I succumbed to my own misgivings and self doubts.

Today as I complete one year of almost daily blogging, I have realized how true the quote of today proved to be. There have been breaks in my steadfast resolve; there have been times when I was sorely tempted to give it all up and there were times especially during the initial phase when I really wondered if my efforts were worth it. The key is to begin in faith, pursue with purpose and to find motivation along the way in whatever we attempt. Most times we make the startling discovery that most of our fears were imaginary and completely irrational if put to the test. To test our theories, it is essential that we begin in faith else we will be attempting to fail. Faith in ourselves, our beliefs and our abilities will ensure that we work in earnest, have the fortitude to overcome obstacles along the way and will ourselves to succeed. On the other if our focus is just on making a cursory attempt the chances are that we will give up the moment we run into some problem or encounter some roadblocks for these will reinforce our original theory that we may not succeed.

Although well begun is half done as the popular saying goes, doing the next half of the task requires us to have a definite purpose and focus. Take the case of student studying for a competitive exam. The amount of effort put in to succeed with high marks would be boosted by a larger goal of not just getting good marks but having a more tangible goal like getting into the top 3 universities. In writing my blogs, the goal was not just to write everyday, but to write so that I could influence lives everyday. This gave me the firm resolve to write no matter how tired I was, to work on the posts even when circumstances did not encourage me and to put the posting of the blog posts on a higher priority than what it would be under normal circumstances. Ultimately it is our motivation that is the icing on the cake that makes the whole effort so attractive and alluring. The number of hits on the site (currently around 43,250), the number of followers (currently around 330) and the comments and feedback (check these on https://actspot.wordpress.com/comments/feed/ ) were the motivators that spurred me on to write daily, write passionately and rewrite when the contents didn’t meet my own standards of excellence.

Permit me the liberty of taking this opportunity to thank all my readers and particularly the followers of this blog for their encouraging feedback . The visitor statistic indicates that this blog is fairly popular and as I understand also motivational and inspirational for many. I would welcome your feedback on how this blog can be improved further and would request your inputs on other/ additional the topics that you want me to cover in this blog .I would also invite you to visit my Weekly Blog. www.poweract.blogspot.com

Remember: “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Try this:

If you have liked this blog have you attempted to write a comment or give a feedback? If not what has held you back from giving a feedback? If you disagreed with some of the contents have you expressed yourself? If not can you attempt it now?

If you haven’t listed out your New Year resolution this is the time to do it. Take a pen and paper or simply type in your resolutions on the computer right now. BEGIN working on those New Year Resolutions RIGHT NOW.